Pacific Northwest - Banks-Vernonia \for summer camp

Hi, I have a young son who just ditched his training wheels and has taken to riding like a fish to water. He's got a BMX-type bike with a coaster break

OK, my cat walked across the keyboard and interrupted my post. I've got a son just out of training wheels who is tremendously excited about cycling. I was wondering if the Banks-Vernonia trail is suitable for a 2 night there&back bike tour and camp for summer 09. He can easily ride 3-5 miles at a time now, and will be 6 years old in January 09. We have done overnight backpack trips to Mirror Lake on Mt Hood and he loves it. Typically I carry all the gear. Anyway, I don't want him bike touring on roads with me yet. Any thoughts on the Banks trail or similar trails near Portland for overnight bike trips would be much appreciated.

Thanks much.

There are reservable camping spots at Stub Stewart State Park, which is right in the middle of the paved section of the Banks Vernonia trail. I'm not sure how close the camping is to the trail itself, but I'm sure you could make it work if you're willing to walk the bikes up a road or something.

Here are some pictures of the BV trail this fall. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=480764
I think the Banks Vernonia trail might be a great adventure for a six year old. Since its a there and back trail you can adjust the length to his ability. Its pretty much flat and safe. Lots to see. Its a nice ride even for us older kids.

If you want to get away from the crowds a bit you could come down the valley to Cottage Grove. There is a beautiful Rails-to-Trails bike path around Doena Lake, the Row River Trail, which hugs the shore of this nice mountain lake then past the lake to the town of Culp Creek. There are nice campgrounds on the lake, swimming, hiking and boating (you can rent canoes) are also available.
This is a nice BLM campground just below the dam, and very near access to the bike trail. This trail is NEVER crowded, even on weekends you'll wonder what happened to the bike riders!

Campground info http://www.reserveamerica.com/campgroundDetails.do?subTabIndex=0&&contractCode=nrso&parkCode=schw

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/Rowtrail20.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/Rowtrail18.jpg

You better be careful on what you are starting, here. Best to set aside a summer in the next ten years for the ride across the US that he will want to do.
Great idea. Great age to start it at.

If you want to get away from the crowds a bit you could come down the valley to Cottage Grove. There is a beautiful Rails-to-Trails bike path around Doena Lake, the Row River Trail, which hugs the shore of this nice mountain lake then past the lake to the town of Culp Creek. There are nice campgrounds on the lake, swimming, hiking and boating (you can rent canoes) are also available.
This is a nice BLM campground just below the dam, and very near access to the bike trail. This trail is NEVER crowded, even on weekends you'll wonder what happened to the bike riders!


The Row River Trail is beautiful. I was lucky enough to spend a week this summer in Eugene. We had a wonderful day riding the Row River Trail.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e156/rrost54/100_0833-1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e156/rrost54/100_0838-1.jpg

I feel like I should offer a word of caution about the "pretty much flat" nature of the Banks-Vernonia trail. It's more "nearly flat" than "mostly flat" -- the distinction being that very little of it is actually flat, it's mostly at a continuous slight grade. For most cyclists this is virtually negligible. However, I have taken my 11-year old daughter and my wife, neither of whom ride much at all, out there on separate occasions, and they both reported to me that it was too hard for them within a mile north of Buxton. I tried to encourage them to downshift and push on, both with no success, which is just as well since they'd have been "pushing on" indefinitely without the trail really flattening out.

If your son is physically active, this might not be a problem. I'm still befuddled by my family's problems, so I guess I really can't gauge how hard this is for "most people". There is, however, a spot at the Tophill trailhead where the trail has a very steep grade for a few hundred feet, down then back up. Of course, you can walk that if need be.

By the way, I went out to the BV trail this past Saturday morning and it was amazing. It was like having my own private 20-mile trail. In two and a half hours I saw one trio of walkers, one bicyclist and a park worker driving the leaf-blowing golf cart. A few equestrians were saddling up just as I finished at around 10:30.